Archive for the ‘Dragons’ Category

Eostre’s Baskets: Stacking the Deck

Blurb:

Bounty hunter and dragon shifter Dean returns home hoping to spend some time with his office manager and new mate Carrie. What he gets is confusion. Hes confronted with communication and connection issues. He feels attacked and backed into a corner with no direction to go in. To find a place to start he turns to Sundaes Adult Easter Baskets hoping that this will give him a handhold to grip as he tries to break through the walls both of them have erected due to their pasts.

Carrie has missed her mate but cant take the lack of communication she feels when hes on the job. For the longest time shes been alone. Now that she has a mate she wants to feel that connection to another person. She doesnt know why Dean holds himself back from her, both on the road and while at home. She needs him to be present and here, to open up to her. But if she pushes too hard she could lose him forever. Can Sundae’s keep it’s sexily ever after guarantee?

She shivered under him. He ran his hands up and down her back, absorbing the feel of her damp, silken skin. It felt like forever since he’d touched her, kissed her. She took his lips in a slow, hungry kiss that blew his mind. His thoughts scattered as she sucked on his tongue once more with shallow pulls before taking it farther into her mouth. His dick jerked as more droplets of precum slipped over the cap and down the side. She reached between them and took hold of his cock. He moaned and thrust his hips upward. Electric sparks burst in his blood as the fire swirled within, hotter, molten.

“Dean and Carrie make a great couple. The love that they share is evident in all that they do. It was nice to watch the two try to find a way to connect with each other. Both have gone through so much in their lives. Watching them fight for their happy ever after makes for a great read. As hot as this story is it also gives readers a beautiful love story. We get to see two wonderful characters look and fight for a love that only comes once in a lifetime. This fast paced story grabbed my attention right from the start and did not let go until the very end.”- Gabrielle

It’s Samhain and Brent wants to fulfill Carissa’s fantasy of sex in a bookshop while it’s open. With help from Fletch he’s going to make it a hot, steamy night she’ll never forget.

Carissa only wanted to spend more time with her mate she didn’t know what to expect when they arrived in the mountains to visit his parents. After dressing her as a French maid, him as Highway man and their friend Fletch as Zorro, she’s pretty sure that he’s taken her fantasy to a whole new level.

Samhain has always been a magical time, now it’s about to get a whole lot hotter.

“Whoa there, lover,” Carissa called out. “We have time, there’s no rush.”

“He’s just impatient,” Fletch said as he caught up. “Slow down man, I don’t want to look suspicious to the cops.” He nodded his head toward a man dressed as a British Bobby.

Brent grumbled something that Carissa didn’t catch, but she was relieved when he slowed his pace to a relaxed walk. Her muscles ached as she matched his speed. They had been walking over uneven cobblestone, up and down hills, for the last half hour.

“Trying to get me to lose five pounds?” she teased, knowing that wasn’t the case.

“You know I love your curves, honey.” Brent leaned down and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Sorry for the rush, just wanted to get there as fast as possible in case they changed their mind.”

Fletch laughed. “Fat chance of that, they’ve done this type of thing before. Tor arranged for it last month when he brought Louisa with him on a visit to his parents. So no worries.”

Carissa didn’t comment, she just kept walking. At least she knew that this would be a safe place to fulfill this type of fantasy.

The town around them was dressed in its fall colors, deep reds, bright golds, rich browns and even a few green leaves still decorated the trees. Cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin and incense wove through the cool breeze that brought goose bumps to her bare arms and legs. She tugged at her skirt, wishing it were a little longer and that she’d been allowed to wear stockings. Brent had said that stockings or even thigh highs would have gotten in the way. So she dressed in the costume Brent had provided for her and followed him and Fletch out the door with kisses and winks from Brent’s mom and dad.

“If you wanted to take me on a pleasure tour of your hometown, you couldn’t have done it during the day and allowed me to wear more comfortable shoes?” The five-inch peep toe stilettos weren’t doing her feet any favors on the cobblestone sidewalks.

“Sorry, I should have warned you.” Brent pulled her toward him and gave her a kiss on her temple. “The bookstore is in the more secluded part of town.”

“The Red Light district,” Fletch leered.

“Sex, sex, sex, that’s all you think about,” she teased back.

“Well, when you’ve got a sexy girlfriend like I have, that’s all you can concentrate on.” Brent stopped and pulled her in a for a long slow kiss.

New Review: Stacking the Deck

He drew in a deep breath and blew it out. I’ll make that hurt go away. Just have to get you calm first. He knew the perfect way to distract her from her personal discomfort. They needed to reconnect on more than just a physical level before dealing with the emotional quagmire that seemed to be brewing within her.
He opened up his e-mail and began to click through, clearing spam before he clicked on his inbox. He glanced over job offers and new hunting tips from friends. He clicked on a subject line from his friend and fellow bounty hunter, Jesse, whom he’d seen on his hunt for the rogue werewolf.“I remember you saying you wanted something special for Carrie for Easter. Got this site from a friend of a friend who used it. Highly recommended. Sundae’s Adult Easter Baskets. Have fun if you know what I mean. Lucky bastard.Look me up the next time you’re in Detroit. Will hook you up with some new flamethrowers that I’m working on.”

The link was embedded in the name of the business. He clicked on it and was brought to a simple site with a few questions. He took each one into account and answered to the best of his knowledge. He only hoped that whatever they got would help them. This was a start. Dean wanted to show Carrie in some way he was on her side. He might not be able to go into all the shit that he kept inside, but pleasing her in bed…that he understood and knew.

Review: “Short, direct, jumps right into the story. This is all about Dean and Carrie and their fairly new relationship. The author made you feel for them and the emotional issues they were going through.”- Missy B

“The hesitancy in her voice pulled at his heartstrings. “I pick the place, some little bistro you’ve never been at, and we eat, and you give me a chance.” He prayed that she’d bite.
She fell silent. Time stopped as he waited for her to say something.
“I’ll think about it. Are you on your way home?” A wariness remained in her tone, but there was a bit of hope in there too.
“Yep. Just crossing the street to see what the other side has to offer, and I will head back. I’ll see you soon. Love you, minx.”
“Okay.” She hung up without saying good-bye.
Fuck, I’m screwed if she can’t even say she loves me.
He dashed across the street while there was a break in traffic. The sun was shining high in the sky, and fluffy blue clouds meandered on by. A perfect day to have a picnic even if there was a chill in the air. Maybe later on in the week, after we’ve talked it out, he thought. What he would say, he didn’t know. The distance between them was growing too fast for him to catch up, and he didn’t know how to get her to hear him and his words. He did love her; he just didn’t know how to let her in.
Frustration rose again. His dragon roared. He didn’t want to cut himself up just to make her happy. That wasn’t who he was. It wasn’t what hunters were capable of. Hunters couldn’t kill what they cared about, what they thought of as human or having a soul. Emotions had consequences; they could get you killed. Only being a stone-cold bastard could allow you to live. How could he love her so much and yet keep her out of his problems, his issues, his hunter life? He didn’t want to lose her. Fire swirled around his body in cutting ribbons that seared him to the bone. He wanted to punch something, kick the shit out of this problem, and beat it until it submitted to him, but he couldn’t. There was no one to hurt.”

Review from You Gotta Read This:
“ I enjoyed this story of reconnection. No matter how attracted Carrie is to Dean, she still longs for a stronger and more intimate connection. Yet it seems the more she pushed the farther apart the two become. As the two drift farther apart Dean searches for a way to find his connection to his mate again, of all people he cannot lose her. When a basket full of toys arrives Dean is ready to try anything including playing a special kind of game. One that will hopefully bring the two back together and find that connection that they are losing.”- Gabrielle

“For a moment his brain stuttered in its function, and all he could do was stare. Her face was framed by tousled waves streaked with red, her wide brown eyes filled with awareness. His heart flipped once again, and his arousal grew. So much for being quiet.

“Hey, minx. Why are you awake?” He set his bags down once more and made his way to her side. He knew the answer but couldn’t help but ask. Maybe his stupidity hadn’t woke her up.

“’Cause you’re loud as hell.” She gave him a wide smile that showed off bright white teeth, but the gesture didn’t reach her eyes. “No kiss hello?”

“Well, depends on which lips you want kissed,” he teased, unable to keep from bringing sexual banter into play. He started to say something else, but her full, throaty laugh caught him off guard and caused his stomach muscles to clench and his heartbeat to speed up.

Once she recovered, she raised one sculpted, dark-brown brow. “Well, someone feels randy right now. Why don’t you put those bags away, take a shower, and join me in bed and find out.”

She sat up to show that she had slept in one of his well-worn black shirts and her pajama bottoms. He chuckled at how small she looked in the top. “Miss me that much that you’re wearing my clothes?”

She pouted. “I thought I looked good in it. Besides, it’s what’s underneath that you want.” She lifted the hem a few inches until a strip of rich cocoa skin showed in the lamplight. “You gonna shower and get in here, or do I have to take care of things on my own?” Desire burned in her eyes.

He inhaled deeply, taking in the musky tang of aroused woman, hot and awake. Fire filled his mouth, and his eyes and swirled around his body until he was filled with it. The dragon was awake and ready to claim his mate. “Taunting the dragon, love? Naughty minx.””

Review from Long and Short Reviews: “Carrie and Dean had some rough patches to work through, and this story shows how important communication is to any relationship. Once these two got into the spirit of the Truth or Dare cards, there were many possible outcomes, and this book explores the many options open to Carrie and Dean to bridge the difficult times and make their lives what they wanted. This is for those who like romance, magic and lots of heat.”- Foxglove

Tiger shifter Louisa thought she’d ring in the New Year all alone little did she knew that three, sexy, younger dragon shifters plan on making sure she celebrates things right. Add a little steam, some dragon shifters with a dirty mind and some creative use of furniture and you’ve got the perfect party for four.

Tor ghosted his lips along her inner thigh before lapping up one side of her slit and down the other. Pleasure doubled within her. The men kissed, sucked and nipped at her flesh, teasing her sex and breasts. The moved away at once and picked her up, laying her down on a towel-covered table before Brent cuffed her wrists again. Fletch held her arms overhead as she was stretched out on the tabletop like an offering to the men.

Tor pushed open her legs and climbed up onto the table and kissed his way up her body. She groaned and tried to maneuver toward him. Brent and Fletch held her down by her shoulders. She let out a sound of frustration. “Please,” she begged. Brent and Fletch answered her plea with kisses on her shoulders, moving in unison down her arms and sides before kissing their way up her stomach. They sucked and nipped her flesh. Waves of pain and pleasure merged into a single, blinding shard as Tor ate at her pussy with delicate bites and laps.

Pressure built within her as her heart thundered in her head. Her body wasn’t her own as she became overwhelmed by sensation. The men covered her body with their mouths and hands. Fire consumed her as her inner feline clawed and screamed within, demanding to be fucked, sated. Her hands fisted in their hair. Silken strands slipped between her fingers, and she gripped tight. Tor flicked her clit, teasing the aching bundle of nerves with quick touches and slow pulls of his lips. She moaned as her orgasm built, the pressure increasing with each tug of Brent’s and Fletch’s mouths on her breasts and Tor’s nips. They took their time teasing and taunting her. Her moans pierced the air as she drew closer to the cliff.

“Gods, yes, please, more,” she groaned as she rocked her hips against Tor’s mouth. He gripped her legs, holding her to the table as Brent and Fletcher moved away from her breasts. She mourned the loss. “Where…”

Brent covered her lips with his before replying, “Shhh, it’s okay. We’ll be back.”

Tor continued to eat her out, licking up and down her slit, pausing to circle and tease her dripping entrance before dipping inside to give her just a bit before returning to her clit. Her vaginal walls clenched as moisture coated her thighs and his lips. Tor moved away from her pussy, leaving her hanging on the edge of coming with no stimulation to help her along. She growled. “Get back here.”

“We’re not done with you.” Tor moved up her body and placed a kiss on her lips before pulling away.

Fletch returned and lifted her hips while Brent slid a pillow under her. Brent spread her legs wide and tied them to chairs. He held up a cell phone and a small cup of ice. With a wicked grin he turned on the phone. The electronic device began to vibrate. “Now, whatever you do, don’t come. No matter what we do to you or how close you are. And if you do, you get punished.” His smiled widened, and she swore his canines had gotten longer and sharper. A shiver of fear and need traced its way down her spine.

She wasn’t sure she could do that. Louisa wasn’t the type of person to hold back when it came to sex. It was either be uninhibited or stop everything. She wasn’t sure she could do that. She’d read about delayed gratification but to actually do it? She bit her lip. “I can try.”

Fletch nodded. “That’s all we ask. Either way, you’ll feel good, but this time you have to hold back.”

She nodded and closed her eyes.

“Don’t close your eyes, sweetness. Watch as we pleasure you.” This came from Tor, who’d returned holding a silver bullet. If Brent’s smiled had been wicked, Tor’s look was downright evil. He held up the small device and then handed out three controllers.

Oh, goddess. All of them would have control over the vibrator. She bit her lip, not sure whether to be scared or feel as if she was going to die of pleasure. Licking her lips, she put on a bravado she didn’t feel. “Bring it on,” she spat out.

Tor smiled. “Remember, don’t come.”

“I can do that.” She tossed her head and kept her eyes on him. Easier said than done, she told herself. Her inner tigress wasn’t so sure she could hold out.

Bounty Hunter and Dragon Dean returns home hoping to spend some time with his office manager and new mate Carrie. What he gets is confusion. He’s confronted with communication and connection issues. He feels attacked and backed into a corner with no direction to go in. To find a place to start he turns to Sundae’s Adult Easter Baskets hoping that this will give him a handhold to grip as he tries to break through the walls both of them have erected due to their pasts.

Carrie has missed her mate but can’t take the lack of communication she feels when he’s on the job. For the longest time she’s been alone. Now that she has a mate she wants to feel that connection to another person. She doesn’t know why Dean holds himself back from her, both on the road and while at home. She needs him to be present and here, to open up to her. But if she pushes too hard she could lose him forever. Can Sundae’s keep it’s sexily ever after guarantee?

“Problem?” The rich, wicked tenor of his voice felt like fingers tracing along her spine to delve between her pussy lips. She squirmed on her stool and clenched her jaw and held the mug tighter at his dirty tricks.

“No. Now answer me,” she managed to get out through clenched teeth. She shoved back at the arousal he was trying to instigate.

“You sure?” He purred.

He seemed closer than just a few feet away. She jumped and looked around. Nope; he hadn’t used his paranormal abilities to move to her side. “Stop using projection. Show me some respect and look at me. Or do you not consider me an equal at all?”

He turned; the glint in his eye told her everything she needed to know. Despite the fire in his gaze, his features were firm; his emotions were clamped down. Disappointment filled her.

“Playing dirty, dragon? Do you really need those tricks to distract me?” It saddened her that he couldn’t even give her the respect she deserved. Her heart hurt at the thought that he didn’t think of her as an equal.

“Maybe.” He plated a dish of bacon, hash browns, and toast and served it to her. He poured more coffee into her large mug and gave her a glass of orange juice.

“Why?” She focused on the food and not him. If she looked up at him, she might throw something, and she was tempted to use her mug for that. Rather than waste perfectly good coffee, she ate.

“Maybe I don’t want to talk about it.” His tone was neutral once again. No amusement, no hint of arousal.

She hated that dragons could just turn off their emotions so easily. “Damn you. Could you just show me a modicum of feeling? Anything?”

“Why is it so important to you?”

“Because it is.” Flashes of memory burst in her mind like the blinking light on a camera timer. She could see the sadness on her parents’ faces as they stood before an empty lot of forest. Her heart ached; her eyes burned with unshed tears. She blinked them away before they could fall and focused on her bacon.

Bounty Hunter and Dragon Dean returns home hoping to spend some time with his office manager and new mate Carrie. What he gets is confusion. He’s confronted with communication and connection issues. He feels attacked and backed into a corner with no direction to go in. To find a place to start he turns to Sundae’s Adult Easter Baskets hoping that this will give him a handhold to grip as he tries to break through the walls both of them have erected due to their pasts.

Carrie has missed her mate but can’t take the lack of communication she feels when he’s on the job. For the longest time she’s been alone. Now that she has a mate she wants to feel that connection to another person. She doesn’t know why Dean holds himself back from her, both on the road and while at home. She needs him to be present and here, to open up to her. But if she pushes too hard she could lose him forever. Can Sundae’s keep it’s sexily ever after guarantee?

Excerpt:

He held up the pack of cards and cut off her words with a single action. She licked her lips and swallowed. Her heart did a nervous flutter, and she swallowed again, waiting to see what he would do. Dean flipped up the lid, shook out the cards, put the package down, shuffled the deck, then spread out the cards. He indicated the fan. “Pick two cards.”

She examined the black scrollwork pattern on each card and held her hand over the spread. Energy pulsed from the objects. Her palm tingled with the magic that tickled and caressed her flesh. She hadn’t felt that charge before. Interesting, she thought. She selected two cards and handed them to Dean, not sure if she should’ve looked at them or not.

Light filled his eyes as he accepted her choices. “Not curious about your fate?”

“Tell me what I’m supposed to tell you or what I have to do.” She wanted to get this over with; the waiting was chafing her nerves.

He chuckled. “Scared? My sweet fairy is scared. Interesting. Okay, here we go.” He looked down at her picks. “You can either tell me about your first kiss or bark like a dog, your choice.”

She stared at him, laughter bubbling up inside of her. “That easy, huh? Fine, kiss. It was Sean Drews, and we were in first grade. I had just come off the slide when he declared that I was his girlfriend and kissed me on the lips. It wouldn’t have been so bad if he hadn’t been rolling around in the dirt before that.” She shook her head and shuddered. “Couldn’t get the taste of dirt out of my mouth for a few days.”

He chuckled.

“My best friend at the time got her first kiss from a kid who was recovering from the chicken pox. He came back to school too early and, well, she ended up with the pox a few days later. Blech.” She winced at the memory.

Dean’s face scrunched up in disgust. He placed the cards face up next to the fan and chose two cards of his own. He handed them to her, facedown. “What’s my fate?” He turned and began to unpack the basket: a few sandwiches, seltzer water and sodas, carrot sticks, plastic plates and utensils, and two covered bowls of soup. “Simple, fair, but quick to make. Now tell me.”

She read the cards and grinned. “What was your first sexual experience, or you can do the chicken dance.”

A Sneak Peek from the Upcoming Stacking the Deck (Due out 25th from Loose Id)

Three Days Until Easter

Tiredness pulled at Dean as he entered the darkened house. Silence greeted him. He didn’t expect a welcoming committee. It was well after midnight, and Carrie should be asleep—at least she better be. He locked the door and activated the alarm system. As soon as his plane had touched down and he’d gotten his car, he’d called Carrie to let her know he was on his way home.

This job had been a long one—too long. Tracking a crazy werewolf through several states and cities and then wrestling in the middle of a wet lawn while it had been in full wolf form hadn’t been fun. Dean had managed to get some of the grime off him, but he still smelled like wet dog. I need a long, hot shower. He grimaced to himself. There was no way he could get into bed with Carrie smelling like this.

As he climbed up the stairs, his mind flashed on her wavy, dark brown hair threaded through with red, her expressive java-hued eyes, and her rich cocoa skin that glimmered with a hint of her fairy light heritage. He allowed himself another smile. It had been two long months since he’d last felt the warmth of her body against his.

She hadn’t picked up the phone when he called; he had been forced to leave a message. Rather than sneak in and try to be quiet, he rushed up the stairs, down the hall, and into his bedroom, heart pounding, hope ballooning in his chest. The lamp next to his bed was on. Carrie was lying on top of the covers.

He put his bags down near the doors, toed off his shoes, then placed them on the ground before he tiptoed toward the bed. Her breathing was slow and even. Her features were soft, open, and relaxed. His heart skipped a beat as his stomach clenched. Face makeup free; plump lips parted and tempting. A finger of heat danced along his cock. Liquid fire poured into his dick, thickening it, lengthening it. The neglected organ pressed against the leg of his jeans. With a grunt, he adjusted his penis and tried to ease some of the strain.

Nothing doing.

During his time away, he hadn’t masturbated. His whole focus had been on the job and then to get home to Carrie; nothing else mattered. His dreams had been filled with her naked, wet and ready for him, in all sorts of positions. During the day his updates to her had been short. He couldn’t afford for his bounty to hear something and take advantage of his weakness. It wouldn’t be like his first hunting trip. Never again. Looking at her safe and sound, he felt the last of his tension fade away. He could breathe properly, and his senses could dull. No longer would he have to deal with dreams; now he could be with the real thing.

She shifted a little and let out a sigh. That soft sound tugged at his balls. Goose bumps rose on his skin. She made that sound—and others—when he went down on her. His dragon side awoke. Fire swirled through his body in a rolling ball. His tight control strained at its leash. To calm down, he took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of warm woman, sleep, and the dim undercurrent of arousal. His cock twitched as the pressure in his jeans increased. “Damn it.” He grunted and stepped back.

He couldn’t just wake her up and fuck her. That would be wrong on so many levels. Dean wanted his woman awake and aware of what he was doing to her. Too bad, his predatory self responded. With a snort, the dragon curled up, keeping one golden eye open. He moved backward until he’d returned to the door and grabbed his bags. A shockwave of pain went up his leg when his heel connected with the baseboard. He winced and cursed under his breath. Panic rose with the ache. Please let her still be asleep, he pleaded silently. He looked toward the bed and saw her eyes open and glimmering in the darkness.

“Hey, dragon,” Carrie called in a sleep-roughened voice. Caution flashed on her face so quickly he wondered what it meant.